Lord Triesman: Bethlehem is of unique religious and cultural significance to Christians. Restrictions on access and freedom of worship there are one of the many negative consequences of the Israeli closure regime in the West Bank.
	We have not made specific representations with regard to access for Christian pilgrims at Christmas to Bethlehem and its surrounding biblical sites. But we continue to call on the government of Israel to do all it can to ease all movement restrictions, wherever this is possible.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Extradition Act 2003 came into force on 1 January 2004. It was brought into effect to simplify and modernise the UK's extradition relations with all nations. Extradition between the US and UK is governed by a bilateral treaty negotiated in 1972, which will be terminated when the US authorities have ratified the new treaty, signed by the former Home Secretary and US Attorney-General on 31 March 2003. However, certain provisions of the new bilateral treaty were given effect in the UK by the introduction of the Extradition Act 2003, which came into force on one January 2004. For the new treaty to come into effect in full, it first needs to secure the advice and consent of the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. The US authorities have informed us that committee hearings are likely to begin next month. In the mean time, extradition between the UK and the USA will continue. All those who are the subject of an extradition request to the UK are protected by full and effective safeguards in the Extradition Act 2003, regardless of their nationality.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: An anonymised copy of the Home Office memorandum of 18 December 1984 will be placed in the Library of the House.

Lord Drayson: Responsibility for information security in the Ministry of Defence, together with other aspects of security, rests with my right honourable friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces. Further information on Ministerial responsibilities is given on the MoD website at www.mod.uk/aboutus/staff/minaf.htm.

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	[An incomplete version of the following Written Answer was received and published on 10 October.]
	For each year since 1998, how much compensation has been paid to civilians in South Armagh as a result of security forces' alleged activities in the area. [HL
	 Question number missing in Hansard, possibly truncated question.

Lord Rooker: The Compensation Agency has operational responsibility for administration of the statutory compensation scheme under the Terrorism Act 2000. From 1998 to the present time the agency has paid approximately £7.5 million in relation to claims identified as originating from the South Armagh area.
	The following table shows the amounts paid annually from 1998 to present.
	
		
			 Financial year Amount of compensation paid£ 
			 1997–98 34,911.00 
			 1998–99 1,016,284.75 
			 1999–2000 1,411,629.70 
			 2000–01 1,941,691.80 
			 2001–02 823,655.40 
			 2002–03 1,757,681.92 
			 2003–04 395,208.43 
			 2004–05 19,397.50 
			 2005–06 325.00 
			 Total 7,400,785.50 
		
	
	In addition to those claims dealt with by the compensation agency (NIO) the Ministry of Defence has provided the following information.
	The following figures come from headquarters Northern Ireland and are concerned mostly with helicopter damage; this includes scaring livestock, damage to crops and buildings. We break down payments by county. South Armagh can come under either Co. Armagh or Co. Down. In the main the payments for South Armagh are shown under Co. Armagh and the statistics for these are shown below.
	
		
			 Calendar Year Amount 
			   
			 1998 £586,748.97 
			 1999 £786,183.18 
			 2000 £781,102.72 
			 2001 £514,187.24 
			 2002 £426,758.86 
			 2003 £525,847.02 
			 2004 £352,844.81 
			 2005 £264,429.03 
		
	
	The following figures come from Directorate for Safety and Claims who do not record Northern Ireland claims by area. From 1 January 1998 to date the Claims Public Liability Group paid compensation and costs to Northern Ireland claimants as follows.
	
		
			 Calendar Year Amount 
			 1998 £289,479.04 
			 1999 £290,895.78 
			 2000 £356,960.12 
			 2001 £81,374.86 
			 2002 £136,384.02 
			 2003 £23,625.00 
			 2004 £9,950.00 
			 2005 *£542,329.87 
		
	
	*to date
	These claims will have been received from members of the public who have had a dispute with members of the Armed Forces while in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). The majority of claims will be for alleged assault, harassment or wrongful arrest, quite often at vehicle checkpoints. *Note that at least 80 per cent. of the total to date for 2005 covers one claim.

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Why the Home Office Country of Origin Information Service report on Pakistan, published on 1 November, does not confirm that, contrary to guidance previously given, there are no Ahmadi police officers or administrators in Rabwah, a city whose population is 95 per cent. Ahmadi, as notified to them by the Ahmadiyya community United Kingdom.

Lord Adonis: The figures showing A-level and GCSE and equivalent achievement in Northern Ireland, England and Wales between 2001–02 and 2003–04, the latest comparable year available, are as follows.
	
		GCE A-level, GCSE and equivalents achievement—time series
		
			  2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 
			 Proportions achieving
			 Two or more A-Levels1,2
			 Northern Ireland 43.4% 92.4% 92.0% 
			 England 37.6% 89.7% 92.0% 
			 Wales 30.6% 93.9% 94.9% 
			 
			 5 or more GCSEs and equivalent at Grades A*-C3 
			 Northern Ireland 58.7% 58.8% 59.5% 
			 England 51.6% 52.9% 53.7% 
			 Wales 50.5% 51.1% 51.4% 
			 
			 No GCSE and equivalent passes3 
			 Northern Ireland 4.4% 4.3% 3.8% 
			 England 5.4% 5.2% 4.1% 
			 Wales 7.6% 7.5% 7.4% 
		
	
	Source: Department for Education and Skills; National Assembly for Wales; Department of Education, Northern Ireland
	Notes:
	1 Including Vocational Certificates of Education (VCE) and equivalent.
	2 For 2001–02, figures are based on pupils in schools and students in further education institutions aged 17-18 at the start of the academic year in England, aged 17 in Wales and aged 16-18 in Northern Ireland, as a percentage of the 17 year-old population. For 2002–03 and 2003–04, figures are based on the proportion of candidates aged 16-18 in England (schools and FE institutions) and Northern Ireland (schools), and aged 17 in Wales (schools) who achieved two or more A-levels or equivalent.
	3 Pupils in their last year of compulsory education (i.e. aged 15 at the start of the academic year). Including GNVQs in England and Wales. The England figures for 2003–04 also include the wider range of approved pre-16 qualifications.